Personal Health Budgets

What is a Personal Health Budget?

It is an amount of money, based on an individual’s identified health and wellbeing needs, which has been planned and agreed between the person and their local NHS team. It enables the individual to know upfront how much money they have available; they can then choose how they want to spend the money to meet their care needs.

The aim is to give individuals greater choice and control over their care; enabling people to manage their condition in a way that suits them.

PHBs can be used to purchase a wide range of services that are not traditionally commissioned by the NHS. This could include alternative ways of losing weight such as dance classes, or alternative therapies to help with pain control, such as reflexology. It also opens up the possibility for people with health funding to employ their own Personal Assistants or choose their own support provider; ensuring that individuals have control over who provides their support.

Who can have a PHB?

From 1st April 2014 anyone who is eligible for Continuing Healthcare funding has a right to ask for a Personal Health Budget. They should speak to their local NHS team for further information.
NHS Continuing Healthcare is a package of care arranged and funded solely by the NHS for people who have been assessed as having a ‘primary health need’.

How can a PHB be managed?

A PHB can be managed in a number of different ways:

A Notional Budget: The NHS holds the money and buys the goods and services on the individual’s behalf and in accordance with their wishes.

A third-party arrangement: An organisation holds the money and can help the individual to decide how they want to spend their budget.

A Direct Payment: The money is paid directly to the individual or their representative.